Mirror Image
by B91939
Summary: To him, good and evil is clear. But is it really?
1. Chapter 1

Mirror Image

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this fan fiction. The idea came from watching multiple documentaries on Batman where it was repeatedly stated that the biggest difference between Batman and his enemies is his humanity plus The Batman where he lost his memory as Batman. Therefore, well, this came up.**

* * *

Chapter One:

He wakes up in a long and narrow hallway, doors filled both sides. On each door, there is an empty frame with an empty label underneath.

He can't seem to count how many doors are in this hallway.

It is strange.

Stranger than any... most of the things he has seen.

At the end of the hallway, there is something calling him, he wants to get to there. But he can't move a muscle.

Nothing can explain this, but...

He feels that the only way to get to there, is to go through all the doors according to the sequence of the numbers.

And now, he sees number one.

* * *

No one knows that the philanthropist billionaire, Prince of Gotham, has insomnia.

Why?

Whenever he sleeps, a dream haunts him.

A man, to be precise, is a psycho!

And yes, he had just woken up from such a dream.

Slimy sweats combined with heavy breathes made it worse.

When he finally finished showering, he was greeted by the old butler, who even Bruce couldn't remember when he started to work here, Alfred.

"Hey, Alfred."

"Hey, Bruce. Time to wake up."

Bruce's blue eyes are filled with confusion, "I am awake, Alfred."

"Of course you are, Master Bruce. Master Waynes are waiting for you."

"Oh, thanks. What are we having today?"

"The things you've always wanted, Master Bruce."

"Fantastic, egg muffin with bacon and cheese!"

"Just as you wished, Master Bruce."

Alfred's figure slowly faded into the darker shadow. For one moment, Bruce wondered where did all those darkness came from, then he remembered, this is a dark empty castle, with only four tenants: Bruce's father Thomas Wayne, Bruce's mother Martha Wayne, Bruce's butler Alfred, and Bruce.

What a perfect little family.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

He walks into that door, and sees a man sitting on top of a seat made of gold coins. The man has a long nose, short and fat body, and was wearing a tuxedo.

He stands before the man, for a moment, he is puzzled, then he sees the resemblance.

The man looks like a penguin.

The man's head is occupied with a gold crown, those jewels' sparkles make him almost have to close his eyes. Through his half closed eyes, he sees the man holding on to a gold cane with one of his hands.

And then, he sees the expression on the man's face.

The man sneers at him with contempt.

He finds him disgusted by this man anyway. So he quickly walks away from him, back to the hallway where he came.

Besides, the shining jewels plus gold coins are blinding his retinas. He is glad to get out.

The door opens and closes, though, the number is gone, the man's photo is now in the frame. Underneath, a word shows up.

A chill climbs from his spine to his brain.

Greed.

* * *

"Bruce, Bruce, Bruce, our little Prince. I heard you are taking over the company. Hope you actually have an idea of what you are doing."

A short and chubby man with a tall and skinny woman approaches Bruce. This man is from the Cobblepot family, his name is Oswald. And the lady beside him, is his current lover, not sure of her name.

Oswald has been competing with the Wayne family for quite a while. And from what Bruce has heard, his strategies are... less than conventional.

Oswald is holding a glass with his left hand, gently swirls the glass and the wine is stirred up. His face, is smiling.

Wait... Maybe sneering is more appropriate.

Looking down upon Bruce as most of other wealthy families' heirs have been doing for the past few hours.

Bruce has abandoned his original pursue, which was to become a doctor, just like his father.

Something happened.

He lost the motive to cure people's body, but he gained another.

Curing their disease isn't enough, he wants to cure their minds, and he wants to fix his beloved city with something stronger.

Power, and money.

The city is filled with people like him, born rich, yet none of them sees how the city truly is. Corrupt, and degenerating.

He needs more than just money to fix it. But for now. He needs as much as he can get his hands on. And, along with powerful friends, true friends, he may have a chance to change this city.

At least, that's what he has hoped.

Although, comes to think of it, when did he had this epiphany? Something... Tragic?

And when did he come to this party?

The last thing he remembers is having breakfast at Wayne Manor with his family and Alfred.

The strange lighting in this room blinded him for a second, and his attention is back on Oswald's glass of wine. Strangely, with the swirl of that red, blood-like wine, he feels... calm.

He remembers his plan to change the city again.

To get to there, he must first get through some difficulties he has with this short little man, Oswald.

Oswald may be a valuable asset, not completely trustworthy, but as long as he has money, he can buy Oswalds' loyalty.

Like now.

"Oswald, how nice of you to come. I heard you are doing some... adventure of your own. Are you interested in lowering that risk?"

Direct approach, his favorite.

"Oh, you heard. Casino in Las Vegas. I wouldn't say it's an adventure, but an inevitable result of expanding Cobblepot family business."

Oswald's face lights up with pride. Bruce has scratched in the right spot. Of course, Oswald knows that when Bruce says that he wants to pitch in, it's just a joke. It is a well known fact that no one shares Oswald's success, and certainly not his long time competitor Wayne Enterprise.

And, a casino in Las Vegas is not a risk, when he already has a connection to the underground world.

"Certainly, well, I don't want you to entertain this beauty without any... proper treatments."

Bruce's sarcasm almost bursts out, luckily, he has self-control, and his flattery works like a charm on women. He bends down to kiss the woman standing beside Oswald's hand, he fakes a smile and the woman covers her smiling cheek with her other hand.

Oswald is not very happy, he drags his companion's hand out of Bruce's and walks away, "to succeed in business, you need to learn your manners, Wayne. Especially, not to snatch other people's trophy."

Oswald only sees his girls as trophy, not his... company.

Oswald's figure is a bit wobbly from walking too fast for his short legs.

Kind of like a penguin.

A greedy one.


End file.
